It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows

SECTION 1. Section 11-5-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-5 entitled "Assaults" is hereby amended to read as follows:

11-5-7. {DEL Assault of schoolteachers. -- DEL} {ADD Assault of schoolteachers, school officials or other school department employees. -- ADD} Any person who shall knowingly and willfully strike a schoolteacher , student teacher, school security officer or school administrator, causing bodily injury, while the teacher, student teacher, security officer {DEL or DEL} {ADD , ADD} administrator{ADD , or school department employee ADD} is engaged in the performance of his or her duty, shall be deemed to have committed a felony, and shall be imprisoned not exceeding three (3) years or fined not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) or both.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.